Deontay Wilder offers ex-UFC champion Francis Ngannou two fight deal, including MMA rematch
Former WBC heavyweight boxing champion, Deontay Wilder has offered to both welcome former UFC heavyweight champion, Francis Ngannou, to professional boxing later this year, before then making his own transition to mixed martial arts and fighting the Cameroon native in a cage as part of a two-fight series.
Wilder, revered as one of the most dangerous punchers in heavyweight boxing history, returned from his trilogy title knockout loss to current WBC best, Tyson Fury late last year against Robert Helenius, securing a dominant first round KO win in less than three minutes in New York.
As for Batié native, Ngannou, the former undisputed UFC heavyweight titleholder departed the organization earlier this year following the completion of his contractual obligations back in December.
Last time out, Ngannou successfully unified the heavyweight championships with a unanimous decision win over then-interim division titleholder, Ciryl Gane.
Deontay Wilder offers to fight Francis Ngannou in both boxing and MMA
Linked with a multitude of professional boxing matches, including against the likes of the above-mentioned, Fury, and former heavyweight champion, Anthony Joshua next, Ngannou has now been offered a chance to enter the squared circle by Wilder – who in turn explained how he would also be willing to fight in mixed martial arts as part of a rematch.
“Most definitely, I love Francis (Ngannou),” Deontay Wilder said of a potential fight with the Cameroonian during an interview with Trill Boxing Talk. “When I met him at the UFC Apex in (Las) Vegas, he was talking about doing it that time. I’m still interested in it and I would love to go to Africa for that fight. When he was with [Dana White], me and Dana sat down and talked about it. When he brought the idea to me the whole saying was, ‘If it makes dollars it makes sense.’”
“That’s all they need to know,” Deontay Wilder explained. “I know he’s doing his own thing and I’m proud of him for following his heart, doing what he feels. I even thought about this idea. I said, ‘Alright, let’s make it a two-fight deal. Everybody always comes to boxing – let’s do this; you come to my sport, I’ll come to yours. You come to my house, I’ll come to yours, I’m a true warrior. I’m serious about that, too. I wanna do something different since everybody doing this crossover between combat sports.”
